(Bioactive Compounds) from Elderberry: Extraction, Health Benefits, and Food Applications
Elderberries are appreciated for their antioxidant properties.
Publication: Processes, Vol. 10, Issue 11.
Oana-Elena Pascariu and Florentina Israel-Roming
Abstract
Elderberries are appreciated for their antioxidant properties. Sambucus nigra L. is an extremely abundant plant in the wild flora of Romania, but it is underutilized. Elderberry is used in modern and traditional medicine due to the complex chemical composition of the fruit. The content of phenolic compounds is high (516–8974 mg/100 g DW), of which the most abundant are anthocyanins. Phenolic compounds are known for their beneficial effects on the body. Numerous studies have demonstrated the antioxidant capacity, antibacterial, antiviral, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties of the fruit. It is considered that most of the therapeutic properties of elderberries can be correlated with the antioxidant activity they have. S. nigra fruits are also used in the food industry. Some studies
have shown that the therapeutic properties of elderberries can also be found in the products obtained from them. Therefore, this review aimed to describe the chemical composition of elderberries and products obtained from them, the positive effects on the body, and the methods by which the bioactive compounds can be extracted from the fruits and analyzed. This manuscript is useful for extraction optimization and characterization in order to valorize new functional foods, food supplements, and
also in new pharmaceutical products.
Conclusion:
The methods of extraction and analysis of bioactive compounds have been investigated in numerous studies, but there are also conflicting results. This is mainly due to the fact that the chemical composition of the fruits can vary a lot, depending on many factors. Therefore, the optimization of the extraction method is necessary for the capitalization of these fruits in order to use the bioactive compounds as an additional source of phenolic compounds. The optimization of extract analysis methods could represent a basis for the development of new food products, functional foods, food supplements, and pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. In addition, more studies are needed to track which compounds have the most important role in both preventing and combating certain diseases, as well as their synergistic effect.
Although more research is needed, due to their complex composition, S. nigra fruits have many beneficial constituents to general health, implicated in the relief of a wide variety of health disorders. The results of the studies showed that not only raw fruits had bioactive compounds. The products obtained from elder fruits have preserved an important part of these useful substances (depending on the product obtained), and their introduction into the diet could have positive effects. The extracts could be used in a wider range of products, including products intended for certain categories of the population with special needs (children, the elderly, athletes, and people exposed to a toxic environment).
Link to full article: Bioactive Compounds from Elderberry: Extraction, Health Benefits, and Food Applications | MDPI